THE `ABDALWÂD KINGDOM
OF TILIMSÂN

Situated in the west of the middle Maghrib, which is now Algeria, Tilimsân became the centre of an important state which lasted from 1238 to 1554. Its history illustrates the failure of attempts by outside superpowers to control the Maghrib, as once the Romans and Byzantines did, then the eastern caliphate, and later the Spanish and the Ottomans, before the French. Likewise it illustrates, during the periods of independence from outside control, the failure of attempts to put the whole Maghrib under one government and the typical and perhaps natural division of the Maghrib into three states, as we know it today.

The kingdom of Tilimsân was a kingdom of Arabized Berbers that rose from the ruins of the MuwaŒŒid empire. During the period of its existence it had to contend at home with a restless mostly Berber population, and abroad with the Marînids of Morocco and the ¥afªids of Tunisia. It finally fell victim to the power struggle between the Spanish and the Ottomans.

The `Abdalwâd kingdom of Tilimsân has not received much scholarly attention. The Islamic dynasties of C.E. Bosworth does not even include its series of rulers. Our main primary sources are `AbdarraŒmân ibn-Khaldûn, al-`ibr wa-dîwân al-mubtada' wa-l-khabar fî ayyâm al-`Arab wa-l-`Ajam wa-l-Barbar, part 3 (Bûlâq, 1867); see also the French translation Histoire des Berbères by Le Baron de Slane, newly edited by Paul Cassanova, vol. 3 (Paris: Geunthner, 1934); YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn, Bughya ar-ruwwâd fî akhbâr al-mulûk min Banî-`Abdalwâd, ed. & tr. by Alfred Bel, Histoire des Beni `Abd el-Wâd, rois de Tlemcen, in three volumes (Algiers, 1904, 1911, 1913), and MuŒammad at-Tanasî, Na¹m ad durr wa-l-iqyân fî dawla Banî-Zayyân (Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, ms. 5173). None of these covers the entire period. Some 19th century French researchers did some work of unequal value,⁽¹⁾while the 20th century has seen some important studies.⁽²⁾ Other sources that are used are indicated as they come up. The Arabic sources tell their stories with much detail. My aim is to summarize the main political events, noting any discrepancies and utilized information discovered by later researchers, to present a coherent overall history of the `Abdalwâd kingdom. The rich ªûfic and theological aspects of this period are discussed in my Ph.D. thesis.⁽³⁾ The political history of Tilimsân cannot be understood without situating it in the broader religious, social and political history of the Maghrib. I therefore first review the course of Maghrib politics from the establishment of Islam there before treating the Tilimsân kingdom according the its series of rulers.

Islamic states of the Maghrib before the rise of Tilimsân

Islam first appeared in North Africa with the raids of Ibn-abî-SarŒ in 646 and Mu`âwiya b. Hudayj in 666, who ventured into Tunisia. Permanent occupation came in the time of the first Umayyad caliph, Mu`âwiya, when in 670 `Uqba b. Nâfi` founded Qayrawân in the middle of Tunisia, and from that beachhead struck across to the Atlantic. His victory, though spectacular, was only temporary. The Byzantines still held the coastal towns, while the sedentary Berbers, led by Kusayla, defeated and killed `Uqba in 683. In the meantime ¥asan b. an-Nu`mân al-Ghassân drove the Byzantines from Carthage and in 702 defeated the nomadic Berber army led by the famous Kâhina ("priestess"). ¥asan was then replaced by Mûsâ b. Nuªayr, who completed the subjection of the rest of North Africa, and the conquest was extended to Spain by Ãâriq in 709.

Initially this whole territory was governed from Qayrawân by a representative of the Umayyad caliphs in Damascus. The Umayyad policy of Arab supremacy over conquered non-Arabs,even though they became Muslim, provoked a new Berber revolt. It took the form of Khârijism, the movement which originated with the supporters of `Alî who broke with him when he submitted to a negotiated abdication of the caliphate to Mu`âwiyya. Their main tenets were that serious sins constitute a denial of the faith, and that all the faithful are equal, so that anyone, "even a black slave", could become caliph. Starting in Morocco in 739-40, the Berber Khârijites came near to sweeping all North Africa before them, but were defeated in attempting to take Qayrawân in 741. The Umayyad caliphate fell to their `Abbâsids, based in Baghdad, in 749. The weakened government of Qayrawân fell to the Khârijites around 755. An army from Egypt under Ibn-al-Ash`ath retook it in 761, but it fell again in 771. The caliph's army came back in 772 under Yazîd b. ¥âtim and secured Tunisia. The Khârijite centres of Jabal Nafûsa, south of Tripoli, and Jarîd in southwest Tunisia were wiped out, but Khârijism continued in the kingdom of Tâhirt and in Sijilmâsa (founded in 757). In the meantime, one ÀâliŒ of the Barghâwa tribe proclaimed himself the Mahdî and began teaching a variant Islam of his own.

Khârijite power in the central Maghrib had to contend with two new centres of power. To the west, Idrîs, the great-grandson of ¥asan, son of `Alî and Fâ³ima, founded a kingdom roughly corresponding with present-day Morocco; his son Idrîs II founded its capital, Fez, in 808. To the east, Ibrâhîm b. Aghlab in 800 founded the Aghlabid dynasty based in Qayrawân, covering a territory somewhat wider than present-day Tunisia. The latter kingdom enjoyed the benefits of recognizing the `Abbâsid caliph, but for all practical purposes was completely independent.

The Maghrib at this time, apart from political strife, was feverish with religious asceticism, holy men and theological controversy. The literalist thought of al-Ash`arî (d. 935) gained the upper hand over the Mu`tazilite teachings of the creation of the Qur'ân, free will, symbolic interpretation of the Qur'ân and the denial of distinct divine attributes as incompatible with God's unity. In the area of law too, the strict school of Mâlik b. Anas (d. 795) won out over the rival school of Abû-¥anîfa (d.c. 767), thanks to the efforts of SaŒnûn, author of the famous Mudawwana.

Towards the end of the ninth century the Fâ³imid movement moved to the stage of North Africa. Ever since the fall of `Alî, his partisans worked toward a restoration of his family to power. The Fâ³imids are those Shî`ites who insist that the caliph must be or represent a descendant of `Alî and his wife Fâ³ima, and not any other member of his wider family. Around 864 in Salamiya, near ¥âma in Syria, `Ubaydallâh issued his claim to the Fâ³imid succession and sent propagandists to all parts to preach his cause. Of these, Abû-`Abdallâh met in Mecca some pilgrims of the Kutâma tribe who had come from the area just west of Constantine in Algeria. Coming back to Kutama country, he formed an army, marched into Ifrîqiya (Tunisia) and drove out the Aghlabid amîr. He then summoned `Ubaydallâh, who came in 910 and took the titles al-Mahdî ("the divinely guided") and amîr al-mu'minîn ("commander of the faithful"), and founded the city of Mahdiyya as his capital.

Al-Mahdî extended his power as far east as Barka, but failed twice to take Egypt. Turning west, he defeated the Khârijite kingdom of Tâhirt in 911, then that of Sijilmâsa With some difficulty he overthrew the Idrîsids, but the Umayyads, who continued to rule in Spain after losing the caliphate in the East, were a source of harassment to the Fâ³imids, especially by their alliance with the Zanâta and other nomadic Berber tribes.

The son and successor of al-Mahdî, Abû-l-Qâsim al-Qâ'im (934-956), failed three times to take Egypt, and at home had to cope with rebellions because of his severity. A Khârijite resurgence, led by Abû-Yazîd, a man from Jarîd of Zanâta and Sudanese extraction, succeeded so far as to besiege the caliph in Mahdiyya in 945. But the Kutâma and Àanhâja tribes remained loyal, and by 947 the Khârijites were put down once and for all, although continuing to exist without power to this day at Jabal Nafûsa, Jerba, Wargala, Ghardâya and the Mzab region. Upon his success, the caliph Ismâ`îl took the name al-Manªûr ("the one given victory") and built a new capital, Manªuriyya, near Qayrawân.

Al-Manªûr's son, al-Mu`izz (953-975), in two campaigns pacified the whole Maghrib, giving it an unaccustomed spate of peace. His general, Jawhar, then satisfied Fâ³imid ambition by conquering Egypt in 869. In 873 al-Mu`izz made Cairo his capital, where the Fâ³imid caliphs reigned for two centuries. The Kutâma contingent of the army were the caliphs' support in Egypt, while the Àanhâja were left in charge of the Maghrib.

Bulukkîn (974-984), whose father Zîrî had governed the middle Maghrib in the name of the caliph, was the first of the Zîrid line of Àanhâja governors of the Maghrib. Bulukkîn guilt and governed for his father the three cities of Jazâ'ir (Algiers), Miliyâna and Mahdiyya. Upon becoming amîr, he put down the ever reasserting independence of the western Maghrib and deported the entire population of Tilimsân to his own stronghold, Ashir. When he and his successors took up residence in Manªûriyya, the former capital of the caliph, the middle Maghrib capital of Ashir was left to the Banû-¥ammad branch of the Àanhâja line which before long made themselves independent. The Zîrid governor al-Mu`izz in 1017 failed to put down the rebels, and left matters as they were.

While breaking with the Zîrid governors and the Fâ³imid caliphs, the Banû-¥ammad recognized the fading `Abbâsid caliphs. Popular orthodox reaction to Shî`ism in the Maghrib also forced al-Mu`izz to bread with the Fâ³imid caliph, whereupon the Banû-¥ammad tried to switch allegiance back to the Fâ³imids in order to claim authority over the whole Maghrib. To reduce the Maghrib to subjection, the Fâ³imid caliphs decided to relieve upper Egypt of the troubles of the Arab tribe Banû-Hilâl and unleash them upon the Maghrib. From 1050 onwards they swept over Ifrîqiya and the middle Maghrib "like a plague of locust, destroying everything in their way" (Ibn-Khaldûn). Ifrîqiya was left in anarchy while the Zîrids took refuge in Mahdiyya. The Banû-¥ammad abandoned their capital for Bujâya, which they had founded some years earlier.

While anarchy prevailed in the middle and eastern Maghrib, the Murâbi³ (or "Almoravid") movement appeared in the west. Its protagonists were nomads of a Saharan Àanhâja people converted to Islam in the 9th century. Toward the middle of the 11th century their chief Abû-`Abdallâh YaŒyâ b. Ibrâhîm made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and on the way back in the area of southern Morocco engaged `Abdallâh b. Yâsîn to teach his tribesmen Mâlikî law. With certain other tribal notables they established a ribâ³ (fort) on an island off Senegal. From this centre Ibn-Yâsîn, through his general YaŒyâ b. `Umar, conducted expeditions subjecting or raiding the desert tribes to the north and the blacks to the south. YaŒyâ died after taking Sijilmâsa in 1055-6, and his brother Abû-Bakr took over command of the army. His deputy for the north, Yûsuf ibn-Tashfîn, founded the city of Marrâkish in 1069, took Fez, Tilimsân Wahrân, Tanas, and was about to take Algiers when events in Spain diverted him.

The Umayyad dynasty in Spain had disappeared in 1034, leaving the debris of many small independent principalities. Into this Ferdinand I of Castile (d. 1065) and his successor Alfonso VI launched the reconquista. In desperation, al-Mu`tamid of Seville called for Ibn-Tâshfîn's help. In two expeditions, in 1086 and 1090, Ibn-Tâshfîn restored the situation, uniting Spain under his own authority except for Saragosa, which served as a buffer state. His son `Alî inherited a vast state, but also the Murâbi³ attitude of pious rusticity which restricted itself to the casuistry of Mâlikî law, repressing things like music and theological interpretation. But this attitude was ineffectual against the Spanish spirit, and Arab Spanish philosophy, theology, art and culture overflowed into the western Maghrib. Nevertheless the reconquista continued, and the Muslims fell once more into anarchy upon `Alî's death in 1143.

In the meantime, in reaction both to the narrow Mâlikism of the Murâbi³s and the Àanhâja domination of the Zanâta, a new force was forming, the MuwaŒŒids (or "Almohads") = "those who profess the unity of God"). It was led by Ibn-Tûmart, a theologian who believed in figurative interpretation of the Qur'ân and the Mu`tazilite position on divine attributes, but otherwise was an Ash`arite. He held that the Murâbi³ Mâlikîs, whose literal interpretation of the Qur'ân led them to anthropomorphism, were guilty of denial of the faith, and were therefore as legitimate object of jihâd. Ibn-Tûmart claimed the mission of a mahdî, and took as his capital the strategic town of Tinmel, about 70 kilometres south-southwest of Marrâkish, in 1125. With his general `Abdalmu'min, he combined military severity with popular propaganda in the Berber language to lay the foundations of a kingdom based on his ideology.

On Ibn-Tûmart's death in c. 1128, `Abdalmu'min took the title of caliph or successor of Ibn-Tûmart. Finishing the conquest of the Western Maghrib in 1146, he moved on to Spain and restored order there, putting it under his control. He then marched against the remains of the Banû-¥ammad kingdom in the east and took their capital Bujâya in 1151, at the same time putting down the Banû-Hilâl Arabs in the area. He then moved into Ifrîqiya, whose interior was prey to Hilâlian raids and whose coast was controlled by Roger II of Sicily. Ifrîqiya was pacified and the Sicilian force gave up Mahdiyya, their last post, in 1160.

No more than any of their predecessors, could the MuwaŒŒids hold the Maghrib together. In Spain Ibn-Mardanâsh started a serious revolt against the MuwaŒŒids which was put down in 1161. From 1184 the whole middle and eastern Maghrib was in the hands of Arab and Berber bands under `Alî b. Ghâniya, with the approval of the `Abbâsid caliphs. In Spain Alfonso VIII was on the move, but met defeat at Alrcos in 1196. The MuwaŒŒid caliph an-Nâªir (1199-1214) took advantage of the calm in Spain to bring Ifrîqiya back into subjection, and established Abû-MuŒammad b. abî-¥afª as governor.

Alfonso VIII then inflicted a serious defeat on an-Nâªir at Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, which turned the tide against the MuwaŒŒids. Dynastic struggles and revolutions followed, during which Ferdinand III, by 1248, conquered all of Spain but Granada. In Ifrîqiya the ¥afªid governor Abû-Zakariyâ' in 1228 made himself independent, taking Tunis for his capital in 1236-7. In Tilimsân Yaghmorâsan b. Zayyân started the independent dynasty of Banû-`Abdalwâd in 1235-6. In the western Maghrib the Marîn tribe, which was growing in power since 1216, took most of the country of Fez during the reign of the MuwaŒŒid Sa`îd (1242-1248), and in 1269 finished the MuwaŒŒid dynasty by taking Marrâkish.

The MuwaŒŒid rule marked a high point in culture and learning in the western Maghrib. During their time lived the philosophers Ibn-Ãufayl (1100-1185) and Ibn-Rushd (1126-1198). Music flourished and many splendid architectural monuments were constructed.

The `Abdalwâd/Zayyân dynasty of Tilimsân

Tilimsân is known commonly in the French from of Tlemcen. Three Arabic forms occur: 1) Tilimsân comes from the Berber Tilimsîn, which is a combination of Tilim (joins) and sîn (two), meaning that the city links the land and the sea, according to Ibn-Khaldûn, although this is questionable,⁽⁴⁾ 2) Talshân, a modified combination of tall (tel, or mound) and sha'n (importance), meaning an important place, 3) Tinimsân, a variation of the former.⁽⁵⁾ There was a settlement there in Roman times, called Pomaria and it later was settled by Zanâta Berbers.⁽⁶⁾ It was ruled by a branch of the Idrîsids until the Fâ³imids took it over. It changed hands several times before passing to the Murâbi³s. The MuwaŒŒid `Abdalmu'min destroyed the city and massacred its inhabitants in 1145, but later rebuilt it. With the destruction of Tâhirt, it became the most important city in the central Maghrib.

1) Abû-YaŒyâ Yaghmorâsan b. Zayyân b. Thâbit b. M. (1239-1283)

This Berber name, sometimes appearing in the form "Ghamorsan", is composed of two Berber words: Yaghmor or Ghamor (claw) and san or assan (their), meaning that he is the claw or defender of the tribe.⁽⁷⁾ YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn gives 603 or 604 H. (1206-9) as the date of Yaghmorâsan's birth.⁽⁸⁾ His descendants are known from their ancestor as the Banû-Zayyân; they belonged to the nomad tribe of `Abdalwâd, which was a branch of the Zanâta. Attempts to attach the Zayyân ancestry to MuŒammad or even to Arab stock, as was done by the obsequious at-Tanasî,⁽⁹⁾ are, as Ibn-Khaldûn previously observed, fictitious.⁽¹⁰⁾ According to at-Tanasî,⁽¹¹⁾ Yahgmorâsan took advantage of the MuwaŒŒid weakness to lead his tribesmen into the Tilimsân region, exacting yearly tax from the local people and obedience to their tribal chief (kabîr-him) Jâbir b. Yûsuf b. MuŒammad, who was a relative of Yahgmorâsan.⁽¹²⁾

At that time the MuwaŒŒid governor of Tilimsân was Abû-Sa`îd `Uthmân b. Ya`qûb al-Manªûr, brother of al-Ma'mûn Idrîs b. al-Manªûr, who was the MuwaŒŒid puppet of Ferdinand III. This Abû-Sa`îd imprisoned some chiefs of the Banû-`Abdalwâd and refused the request of some Murâbi³ partisans in Tilimsân for their release. Angered at the refusal, they broke open the prison, releasing the Banû-`Abdalwâd notables, and imprisoned Abû-Sa`îd in their place, in 624/ 1227. The Murâbi³ upstarts broke with their MuwaŒŒid overlord and planned a restoration of the Murâbi³ empire. Seeing that the Banû-`Abdalwâd leadership opposed their design, their chief invited the Banû-`Abdalwâd chief Jâbir to a feast at which he planned to kill him. Arriving at the gate of Tilimsân, Jâbir became wise to the plot, killed the Murâbi³ chief, and proclaimed the authority of the MuwaŒŒid caliph al-Ma'mûn, who recognized him as his amîr of Tilimsân.

Jâbir was killed by an arrow while besieging a town in the course of consolidating his kingdom. His son al-¥asan succeeded him, but after six months abdicated in deference to his uncle `Uthmân. `Uthmân poorly administered the government, and was driven from Tilimsân in disgrace. Abû-`Izza Zayyân b. Zayyân was elected in his place, but was killed in putting down the revolt of the B. Ma³har and B. Râshid. Yahgmorâsan was then proclaimed king. This was in 633/ 1235, according to Ibn-Khaldûn, but 7 Jum. II 637/ 4 Jan. 1240 according to at-Tanasî.⁽¹³⁾ The latter date may refer to his declaration of independence from the MuwaŒŒid caliph, to whom Yahgmorâsan remained faithful initially. Ibn-Khaldûn does mention only good relations with the MuwaŒŒid caliph, Rashîd, and says nothing about a break. The caliph at this time was Rashîd `AbdalwâŒid b. Idrîs al-Ma'mûn, who sent Yaghmorâsan a magnificent present in the hopes that Yaghmorâsan would continue to recognize him and name him in the public Friday prayer. Yaghmorâsan refused, and ar-Rashîd meant to march against him, but was prevented from doing so by his death in 1247 (sic, Julien). Nor was ar-Rashîd's successor, his brother as-Sa`îd (124248) in a position to make any opposition.

After some time Abû-Zakariyâ' b. `AbdalwâŒid a. Ja`far al-Hashîtî of Tunis sent a gift to Sa`îd, thinking he was still master of the whole Maghrib. Yaghmorâsan judged the present his own by right and laid hold of it. Abû-Zakariyâ' waited for Sa`îd to react to this insult and, when he did not, declared himself independent and moved with an army against Tilimsân in 639/ 1241-2. As he laid siege to the city, Yaghmorâsan fled to the mountains of the B. Warnîd. Abû-Zakariyâ' entered the city and looked for a governor of the city from among his officers, but they all refused. He then declared that "Tilimsân should have no other master but the one it wants",⁽¹⁴⁾ and so made up with Yaghmorâsan, combining with him against the MuwaŒŒids.

When the MuwaŒŒid caliph Sa`îd found out about the combination against him, he formed an army which his rivals, the B. Marîn, joined, and they marched against Tilimsân. At their coming, Yaghmorâsan fled to a castle at Tâmzîzdît, which Sa`îd besieged. In the battle to take this castle, on Tuesday at the end of Àafar 646/ June 1248, Sa`îd was killed and his head was sent to his mother by Yaghmorâsan. One prize of the battle was a copy of the Qur'ân reputed to have belonged to `Uthmân b. `Affân, which was later taken by the Marînids to Fez.⁽¹⁵⁾

Yaghmorâsan consolidated his power by expeditions in the surrounding territory, particularly against the Tujjîn and Maghrâwa Berber tribes. On 25 Rabî` II 652/ 14 June 1254 some European mercenaries in the service of Yaghmorâsan plotted with his brother MuŒammad to kill the king. The plot failed, and the Europeans killed MuŒammad, missing the king. The European troops were then massacred to a man.⁽¹⁶⁾

The Marînid dynasty, now established in Morocco, rivaled and was in frequent conflict with the `Abdalwâds of Tilimsân. They defeated Yaghmorâsan many times and in Àafar 673/ Aug.-Sept. 1274 they took Sijilmâsa from his control. They twice besieged Tilimsân itself but could not take it.

Yaghmorâsan married his son Abû-âmir⁽¹⁷⁾ to the daughter of Abû-IsŒaq abû-Zakariyâ' of Tunis, but on the way back with the princess he died on 29 Dhû-l-Qa`da 681/ 27 Feb. 1283 at the age of 76, having reigned 44 years, 5 months and 12 days.

2. Abû-Sa`îd `Uthmân b. Yaghmorâsan (1283-1304)

Returning from Tunis, Abû-`âmir concealed his father's death, saying that he was ill in his litter, until he reached Tilimsân territory, where he met his brother Abû-Sa`îd, who was then proclaimed successor to his father.⁽¹⁸⁾ Abû-Sa`îd extended his power eastward, even raiding the neighbourhood of Bujâya, which belonged to Tunis. In the same year and the next he carried on expeditions against the Maghrâwa, taking their town of Mâzûna, and the Tujjîn, taking their fortresses of Taferjennit,⁽¹⁹⁾ and the Wansharîs. Then he welcomed into Tilimsân Abû-`âmir `Abdallâh An'âjub, the fugitive son of Abû-Ya`qûb Yûsuf of Fez, who had conspired with the wazîr Ibn-`A³wâ against his father. In Rabî` II 688/ April-May 1289 he took the Maghrâwa town of Tanas and the Tujjîn town of Almedesh. The same year the traveller Abû-M. al-Adbarî visited Tilimsân and noted the magnificence of its buildings but the utter poverty of the people.⁽²⁰⁾

In 689/1290 the ruler of Tunis sent a gift to Abû-Sa`îd, hoping to assure peace with him. Later that year Abû-Ya`qûb Yûsuf of Fez, angered because of Abû-Sa`îd's welcome to his rebellious son, marched against Tilimsân, but retired without taking it. Abû-Sa`îd thereupon punished the Maghrâwa and the Tujjîn who had revolted in this crisis. The remaining years of Abû-Sa`îd's reign were occupied in putting down rebellious subject tribes and in repelling the expeditions of Abû-Ya`qûb Yûsuf. The latter in all made five expeditions against Tilimsân; in the last one he constructed a town which he named Manªûra, just outside Tilimsân, and began a long siege of Tilimsân, during which Abû-Sa`îd died on 1 Dhû-l-Q. 703/ 5 June 1304, after ruling twenty-one years less one month.

3. Abû-Zayyân M. b. abî-Sa`îd (1304-13)

Born in 659/ 1260,⁽²¹⁾ Abû-Zayyân succeeded his father and lived through the long and bitter siege of Tilimsân.⁽²²⁾ The siege was lifted after eight years and three months by the dagger of a eunuch named Sa`âda who had once belonged to the kindly and learned Abû-`Abî l-Malyânî. Abû-Ya`ûb Yûsuf had killed the latter and taken all his goods, including the eunuch. The latter ended his second master's life while he was sleeping on Wednesday 7 Dhû-l-Q. 706/ 10 May 1307.⁽²³⁾

Abû-Sâlim, Abû-Ya`qûb Yûsuf's son by a concubine, claimed his father's throne, but his nephew Abû-Thâbit, son of the Abû-`âmir who had been given asylum in Tilimsân, with the connivance of Abû-Zayyân, overthrew his uncle and made peace with Abû-Zayyân, restoring to him all his territory. Abû-Zayyân then turned eastward and subjected the rebellious Maghrâwa and Tujjîn tribes. The future looked bright when he returned to Tilimsân and died on 22 Shawwâl 707/ 5 April 1308, after ruling seven days less than four years.

4. Abû-¥ammû Mûsâ (1308-1318)

The brother and close associate of Abû-Zayyân, Abû-¥ammû, succeeded him and continued in the direction of prosperity and expansion begun by his brother. In 712/ 1312-13 he annexed Algiers, which had been an independent city for fourteen years after breaking with Tunis.⁽²⁴⁾ In 714, leaving his son Abû-Tâshfîn in charge of Tiliimsân, Abû-¥ammû led an expedition against a rebel named Râshid b. Râshid b. M. of the Maghrâwa tribe. The latter fled to Bujâya, which was under Tunisian control. Abû-¥ammû then sent his cousin Mas`ûd b. abû-`âmir b. Yaghmurâsan and MuŒammad b. Yûsuf b. Yaghmurâsan to besiege Bujâya and reduce the country beyond it to subjection. At the same time he sent Mûsâ b. `Alî al-Ghuzzî⁽²⁵⁾ with an Arab army to subdue the desert area.

The two generals fell out with one another, and Abû-¥ammû sided with Mas`ûd, sending M. b. Yûsuf back to Tilimsân and dispatching separate orders to his son Abû-Tâshfîn to imprison M. b. Yûsuf. Abû-Tâshfîn refused, and sent M. b. Yûsuf back to the army. After this Abû-¥ammû acted coolly towards his son and gave preference to Mas`ûd. Consequently Abû-Tâshfîn conspired against his father and, surprising him with an armed band, killed him on 22 Jumâda 718/ 22 July 1318.⁽²⁶⁾

5. Abû-Tâshfîn (1318-1337)

Under Abû-Tâshfîn, born in 692/ 1293,⁽²⁷⁾ the prosperity of the preceding reign continued, especially in building projects, in which the skills of many European slaves were employed.⁽²⁸⁾ The first military enterprise of Abû-Tâshfîn was to put down the revolt of MuŒammad b. Yûsuf. In the east he renewed the siege of Bujâya, Bûna and Constantine, while his generals YaŒyâ b. Mûsâ al-¥ajjî and Ibn-Abî-`îmrân al-¥afªî took Tunis itself.⁽²⁹⁾ In these straits, the Tunisian amîr Abû-YaŒyâ Abû-Bakr appealed to Abû-Sa`îd of Fez for help, and offered his daughter in marriage to Abû-Sa`îd's son Abû-l-¥asan.

Abû-Sa`îd agreed and sent and ambassador to Abû-Tâshfîn asking him to raise the siege of Bujâya, but no result was achieved. Abû-Sa`îd then died and was succeeded by Abû-l-¥asan, who also sent ambassadors for the same purpose; the ambassadors were chased away dishonourably. Because of this and because of Abû-Tâshfîn's assistance to rebels in Marînid territory, Abû-l-¥asan decided to move against Tilimsân. While he was conquering the western territories of Tilimsân, the amîr of Tunis rallied and attacked from the east. A revolt of Abû-l-¥asan's brother at Sijilmâsa delayed matters a while, but the war continued until Tilimsân was taken and Abû-Tâshfîn and his family were killed, on 28 Rama²ân 737/ 30 April 1337.

6. Abû-Sa`îd (1348-)

The Banû-`Abdalwâd dynasty was ended for the time being. `Uthmân b. YaŒyâ b. M. b. Jarrâr, a protégé of Abû-l-¥asan, ruled as his representative, while scions of another branch of the `Abdalwâd family, the brothers Abû-Sa`îd and Abû-Thâbit b. abî-Zayd b. abî-Zakariyâ' b. Yaghmurâsan, marched with Abû-l-¥asan against Tunis. They took Tunis and were about to attack Qayrawân when Abû-Sa`îd and Abû-Thâbit and their troops went over to the enemy and defeated Abû-l-¥asan on 10 MuŒarram 749/ 10 April 1348. Thereupon, in Rabî` I 749/ May-June 1348, Abû-Sa`îd was proclaimed amîr and went back to Tilimsân with his followers, joined by the Tujjîn and Maghrâwa tribesmen. After winning a battle against `Uthmân b. Jarrâr's forces, they entered the town on 22 Jumâda II of the same year/ 17 Sept. 1348.⁽³⁰⁾

Abû-l-¥asan rallied and landed by sea at Algiers, where the Arabs of the locale and the Tujjîn tribe joined him to retake Tilimsân. But Abû-Thâbit, brother of the sovereign of Tilimsân and in charge of the army, went out, joined by troops of the Maghrâwa tribe, and defeated Abû-l-¥asan.

A while later an incident occurred between some members of the Maghrâwa and the B. `Abdalwâd tribes, because of which Abû-Thâbit started a campaign against the Maghrâwa. Abû-`Inân, son of Abû-¥asan and new sovereign of Morocco, protested against Abû-Thâbit's action and, when his protest was disregarded, he marched against Tilimsân. The Tilimsân sovereign Abû-Sa`îd was killed in battle on 11 Jumâda I 753/ 25 June 1352.

Abû-Thâbit retreated with the remainder of the army to Algiers but was pursued. Finally, in an attempt to flee to the east disguised and accompanied only by his wazîr and two nephews, he was captured near Bujâya, taken to Tilimsân and handed over to Abû-`Inân to the B. Jarrâr tribe, who killed him in revenge for the death of `Uthmân b. Jarrâr, the former governor of Tilimsân.⁽³¹⁾

7. Abû-¥ammû Mûsâ II (1359-1389)

When Abû-Thâbit was captured, his nephew Abû-¥ammû, whose father Abû-Ya`qûb (d. 763/ 1361-2)⁽³²⁾ led a ªûfic life away from the political life of his two brothers, managed to escape to Tunis, where he was treated royally by Abû-IsŒâq, the ¥afªid sovereign. There he gathered supporters and returned to conquer Tilimsân on 8 Rabî` I 760/ 6 Feb. 1359.

In 761/ 1359-60 the Moroccan sultan Abû-Sâlim marched against Tilimsân. Abû-¥ammû fled the city, which was taken, but after a few weeks Abû-¥ammû regained it and the rest of his territory that the Marînids had occupied. He restored many of the buildings which had been ruined in this and previous Moroccan occupations and built a school, al-Madrasa al-Ya`qûbiyya in honour of his father, and put Abû-`Abdallâh b. AŒmad al-¥asanî in charge of it.⁽³³⁾

Abû-¥ammû had many children; eight of his sons were to occupy his throne for various lengths of time. In 776/ 1374-5 a severe famine hit the land. Abû-¥ammû had to face much opposition, particularly from an `Abdalwâd pretender, Abû-Zayyân, who was supported first by the Marînids and then by the ¥afªids. The Marînid sultan `Abdal`azzîz conquered Tilimsân on 1 MuŒarram 771/ 4 Aug. 1370, took over all the `Abdalwâd territory and put Abû-¥ammû to flight. The death of `Abdal`azzîz at the end of Rabî` II 774/ Oct. 1372 permitted Abû-¥ammû to recover his kingdom and return to Tilimsân. Abû-¥ammû's restoration did not spare him the struggle with the continual rebellion of Arab and Berber tribes. His own son Abû-Tâshfîn `AbdarraŒmân killed the royal secretary, YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn, a crime which Abû-¥ammû overlooked. Incursions into Morocco invited the reprisal of the Marînid sultan Abû-l-`Abbâs, who came and occupied Tilimsân. A coup in Fez in 786/ 1384 forced Abû-l-`Abbâs to abandon Tilimsân to Abû-¥ammû, but not before he wrecked the splendid palace built by Spanish artisans.

At the end of 788/ Jan. 1387 Abû-Tashfîn `AbdaraŒmân overthrew his father and imprisoned him in Algiers. Abû-¥ammû escaped and retook Tilimsân, but Abû-Tâshfîn captured his father once more and, to get rid of him, sent him on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Going by sea, Abû-¥ammû disembarked at Bujâya and, gathering an army, doubled back to Tilimsân, entering it in 790/ 1388. Abû-Tâshfîn fled to the sultan of Fez, and returned with an army. In the battle which took place towards the end of 791/ Sept. 1389 Abû-¥ammû was killed at the age of 68, having ruled 31 years.⁽³⁴⁾

8. Abû-Tâshfîn `AbdarraŒmân (1389-1392)

In return for the help of the Moroccan sultan Abû-l-`Abbâs, Abû-Tâshfîn was obliged to place the former's name in the Friday prayers and pay him a yearly tribute.

Before long, Abû-Tâshfîn's brother Abû-Zayyân began attacking him, and in Rajab 792/ May-June 1390 besieged him in Tilimsân. A Moroccan force came to the relief, and Abû-Zayyân fled to Abû-l-`Abbâs in Fez. The Marînid sultan's favour passed to Abû-Zayyân and sent him with an army to take Tilimsân when Abû-Tashfîn died on 17 Rabî` II 795/ 2 March 1393, having ruled three years, four months and sixteen days.

The sultan Abû-l-`Abbâs then sent Abû-Zayyân to Fez, while the Sultan's son Abû-Fâris led the Moroccan army into Tilimsân, proclaiming the sovereignty of his father, once more putting a stop to the dynasty of Banû-`Abdalwâd.

9. Abû-Thâbit Yûsuf b. abî-Tâshfîn (1393)

The Marînid rulers held Tilimsân for about one year, until MuŒarram 796/ Nov.-Dec. 1393, when Abû-Fâris was called back to take the Moroccan throne in place of his deceased father Abû-l-`Abbâs. Then Tilimsân regained its independence. The new ruler, Abû-Thâbit, however, was poisoned after forty days by his uncle Abû-l-¥ajjâj.

10. Abû-l-¥ajjâj Yûsuf b. abî-¥ammû (1393-1394)

The new ruler took power at the end of Jumâda I 796/ early |April 1399, and after ten months, in Rabî` I 797/ Dec. 1394- Jan. 1395, was expelled by the troops of Fez, who installed his brother Abû-Zayyân.

11. Abû-Zayyân b. abî-¥ammû (1394-1399)

The five year reign of Abû-Zayyân under the shadow of the Marînids of Fez was peaceful and marked with some flourishing of learning. He founded and made liberal provision for the library of the great mosque. In 801/ 1388-9 he was driven out by his brother Abû-MuŒammad and wandered in search of asylum until he was killed in 805/ 1402-3. This is the last person mentioned by Ibn-Khaldûn and his information on him is brief. Ibn-Khaldûn passes over the previous two brief rulers.

12. Abû-MuŒammad `Abdallâh b. abî-¥ammû (1399-1401)

It was not long before this ruler too came under the intrigues of the men who surrounded him. They appealed to Fez, and troops came towards the end of 804/1402 to replace Abû-MuŒammad with his brother Abû-`Abdallâh.

13. Abû-`Abdallâh MuŒammad b. abî-¥ammû al-Wâthiq bi-llâh ibn-Khawla (1402-1411)

Little is known of this reign, except that learning once more began to flourish with the relative peace prevalent during it. His happy reign terminated with his natural death on 7 Dhû-l-Q. 813/ 3 March 1411.

14. `AbdarraŒmân b. abî-`Abdallâh MuŒammad ibn-Khawla (1411-1412)

After only two months and a few days' reign, as-Sa`îd, the uncle of `AbdarraŒmân, escaped from the prison where the Marînids held him, and attacked his nephew and deposed him at the end of MuŒarram 814/ May 1411.

15. As-Sa`îd b. abî-¥ammû (1411)

This ruler dissipated the wealth of Tilimsân by gifts to his friends and mismanagement. Accordingly, the next sultan of Fez intervened, sending as-Sa`îd's brother Abû-Mâlik `AbdalwâŒid with an army against him. Thus after a six months' rule, as-Sa`îd was deposed.

16. Abû-Mâlik `AbdalwâŒid b. a. ¥ammû (1412-1424; 1428-30)⁽³⁵⁾

Abû-Mâlik entered Tilimsân on 16 Rajab 814/ 3 Nov. 1411. His reign was distinguished by prosperity at home and the restoration of his dynasty's power in the land about. He even succeeded in placing his candidate, MuŒammad (or AŒmad) b. abî-MuŒammad b. abî-Ãarîq b. abî-`Inân, on the throne of Fez, giving him military support to win control of the whole western Maghrib.

Abû-Mâlik's reign was interrupted by Tunisian intervention. Abû-Fâris, the ¥afªid Sultan of Tunis, who regarded Tilimsân as his dependency, deposed him on the grounds of fiscal maladministration. Abû-Fâris defeated the army sent out by Abû-Mâlik and when he approached Tilimsân Abû-Mâlik fled. On 13 Jum. II 827/ 12 May 1424 Abû-Fâris entered Tilimsân and appointed Abû-Mâlik's nephew to his place. After going west and gaining the submission of Fez, Abû-Fâris returned to Tunis.⁽³⁶⁾

17. Abû-`Abdallâh M. b. a. Tâshfîn, known as Ibn-al-¥umra (1424-1428; 1430-31

Abû-`Abdallâh, the new ruler, soon became estranged with his master Abû-Fâris, who was occupied with war with the Europeans.⁽³⁷⁾ In the meantime, the deposed Abû-Mâlik failed to get help from Fez, and turned to Abû-Fâris who had deposed him, sending him his son as an envoy and letters to sell his cause. Abû-Fâris was won over and gave the young man every honour, but on his way back Abû-Mâlik's son was captured and killed by Abû-`Abdallâh. Abû-Mâlik himself then went to Tunis with a forged letter from his minister (Œâjib) Ibn-abî-¥âmid saying that the people of Tilimsân are eager for Abû-Mâlik's restoration, and obtained from Abû-Fâris a small army to send against Abû-`Abdallâh. In the engagement Abû-Mâlik lost, and as he had foreseen, Abû-Fâris himself came out to defend his honour. Abû-Fâris placed Abû-Mâlik back in power over Tilimsân in Rajab 831/ April-May 1428. Abû-Fâris had no sooner departed than Abû-`Abdallâh raised an army in the mountains, came down and retook Tilimsân on 4 Dhû-l-Q. 833/ 25 July 1430. The next day Abû-Mâlik was discovered and killed.⁽³⁸⁾

Abû-`Abdallâh's was a short victory. On hearing the news, Abû-Fâris sent his army back and besieged Abû-`Abdallâh in the mountain fortress to which he had fled only eighty-four days after his restoration. Abû-`Abdallâh gave himself up, and was brought a prisoner to Tunis, where he died in 840/ 1436-7.⁽³⁹⁾ In his place it seems that Abû-Fâris appointed a European mercenary, whom he left to govern for seven months before appointing a man from the traditional ruling house.⁽⁴⁰⁾

During his rule, Abû-`Abdallâh courted the favour of the theologian and ªûfî, MuŒammad ibn-Yûsuf as-Sanûsî, but the latter refused his gifts and avoided familiarity with him, even sheltering in his house fugitives from Abû-`Abdallâh's judicial proceedings.⁽⁴¹⁾

18. Abû-l-`Abbâs A. b. a. Mûsâ (1431-1475)

Appointed by Abû-Fâris, Abû-l-`Abbâs took over Tilimsân on 1 Rajab 834/ 15 March 1431.⁽⁴²⁾ The beginning of his reign was marked with energy in endowing religious schools, punishing criminals and establishing order and security in his domains. At-Tanasî adds: "He had the greatest veneration for the walî, the holy man, the polar star of his time, the powerful intercessor, the shaykh of ascetics and model of pious men, Sayyid ¥asan b. Makhlûq [Abarkân]. He paid him frequent visits, made use of his advice and placed most of his affairs under his direction."⁽⁴³⁾

In 837/ 1433-4, seeing Tunis threatened by the Europeans, Abû-l-`Abbâs declared himself independent. Abû-Fâris started off against him, but died before he could get there.⁽⁴⁴⁾

Another threat came from Abû-l-`Abbâs' brother Abû-YaŒyâ. In 838/ 1434-5 the latter mustered a force and marched upon Tilimsân. Failing to take it, he established himself in Wahrân (Oran). There were many battles between him and his brother until the month of Sha`bân 852/ Oct. 1448, when Abû-l`Abbâs' army took Wahrân by storm.

In the meantime, a member of another branch of the family, Abû-Zayyân M. al-Musta`în bi-llâh, left Tunis with an army and took Algiers on 19 Rajab 842/ 4 Jan. 1439. Abû-Zayyân was assassinated but the population of Algiers on 2 Shawwâl 843/ 7 March 1440, but his son al-Mutawakkil continued the conquest as far west as Wahrân. Tilimsân was weakening. Although an insurrection which took place in the city on 27 Ram. 850/ 16 Dec. 1446 was unsuccessful, the regional chiefs and nomadic Arabs dependent on Tilimsân proceeded to revolt, leaving the region in anarchy. Into this situation al-Mutawakkil moved his army, taking milyâna, Mustaghânam, Tamzaghrân, Wahrân, and finally Tilimsân on 1 Jum. I 866/ 1 Feb. 1462. Abû-l-`Abbâs was exiled to Granada.

19. Abû-`Al. M. al-Mutawakkil `alâ llâh b. a. Zayyân M. b. a. Thâbit b. a. Tâshfîn b. a. ¥ammû Mûsâ (II) b. a. Yq. b. a. Zayd b. Zk. b. a. Yy. Yaghmurâsan (1462-1473)

Only a few months after taking over Tilimsân, al-Mutawakkil had to face a. `Amr `Uthmân of Tunis before the gates of Tilimsân. He accepted the overlordship of `Uthmân, who then went away.⁽⁴⁵⁾ Soon afterwards the deposed Abû-l-`Abbâs returned from Spain with an army and besieged Tilimsân for fourteen days before he was killed, on 13 Dhû-l-¥. 867/ 29 Aug. 1463. The partisans of Abû-l-`Abbâs then rallied around another leader, M. b. `Ar. b. a. `Uth. b. a. Tâshfîn, and tried again to take Tilimsân, but failed. Another rebellious and marauding chieftain, M. b. Ghâliya, was defeated on 13 Shawwâl 868/ 19 June 1465, and his head brought to Tilimsân.⁽⁴⁶⁾

Al-Mutawakkil tried to rule as independently as he could, but trembled and showed submission any time `Uthmân seemed to be on the move. At the end of Jum. II 868/ mid-Feb. 1464, the Qâ²î of Tilimsân, M. b. A. al-`Uqbânî⁽⁴⁷⁾ arrived on one of his missions to Tunis, bringing a present from al-Mutawakkil to `Uthmân. In Dhû-l-Q./ July-Aug. of the same year `Uthmân sent a gift in return.

Then, towards the middle of 870/ early 1466, a deputation of Arabs from the country of Tilimsân came to Tunis and alleged that al-Mutawakkil had thrown off his allegiance and was plotting with certain nomadic tribes. They asked to have Abû-Jamîl Zayyân b. `AbdalwâŒid b. a. ¥ammû as their ruler instead. The caliph agreed, and equipped the new leader with an army, which went victoriously westward until it began the siege of Tilimsân in Rabî` II 871/ Nov.Dec. 1466. The first day a violent battle ensued, which was stopped by nightfall. The besiegers planned to take the city the next day, but were prevented from acting by a heavy rain. Then the Shaykh al-¥. Abarkân⁽⁴⁸⁾ and the qâdî⁽⁴⁹⁾ came out with a document of submission signed by al-Mutawakkil. The treaty made was reinforced by al-Mutawakkil's giving his daughter to `Uthmân's son. `Uthmân then turned back, leaving on 7 Sha`bân 871/ 14 March 1467.⁽⁵⁰⁾

Perhaps associated with the massacre of Jews in Fez at the end of 870/ July 1466, on the occasion of the overthrow of `AbdalŒaqq b. Sa`îd, who had favoured them and given them positions of authority, was a bloody persecution of the Jews of Tilimsân in 1467.⁽⁵¹⁾ No other event is noted until the death of al-Mutawakkil in Àafar 873/ July-Aug. 1468.⁽⁵²⁾

20. Abû-Tâshfîn (II) (1468)

Abû-Tashfîn, the elder son of al-Mutawakkil, succeeded him, but help power only forty days, or four months according to others, when he was deposed by his brother.⁽⁵³⁾

21. Abû-`Abdallâh M. ath-Thâbitî b. al-Mutawakkil (1468-1504)

The brother of the former, Abû-`Abdallâh continued in power until 910/ 1504.⁽⁵⁴⁾ In the first year of his reign he compelled the famous writer al-Wansharîsî⁽⁵⁵⁾ to flee from Tilimsân. During Abû-`Abdallâh's reign the theologian and ªûfî MuŒammad ibn-Yûsuf as-Sanûsî flourished and died, on 10 May 1490. The following comment of his reflects the situation of this time:

The most important thing an intelligent and discerning person can do in this difficult time is to pursue the things by which he may save his soul from an eternity in fire. That he can do only by being convinced of the dogmas professing God's unity, as has been established by the imâms of the Sunna people, who know what is best. How rare they are who have such conviction in this difficult time wherein the sea of ignorance overflows, and falsehood has spread beyond limits and thrown in every direction of the earth waves of denial of the truth, hatred for those who hold the truth, and colouring over of falsehood with deceptive trappings."⁽⁵⁶⁾

No other events are recorded for abû-`Abdallâh's rule while as-Sanûsî lived. Yet it can only have been one of gradual decline. The Spanish and Portuguese were advancing from the West. The last king of Granada, Abû-`Abdallâh MuŒammad, surrendered to Ferdinand on 6 Jan. 1492, and shortly after went to Wahrân and then to Tilimsân, where he died on 1 Sha`bân 899/ 7 May 1494.⁽⁵⁷⁾ At the same the Turks were advancing from the East.

After the fall of Granada the ports of the Maghrib increased their pirate activity in the Mediterranean and their raids upon European coasts. In reaction, the European powers moved to capture the ports from which these raids originated. In 1501 the Portuguese tried but failed to capture Mars al-Kabîr around Wahrân. But in 1505 Mars al-Kabîr fell to the Spanish, and the troops sent to the rescue by MuŒammad ath-Thâbitî arrived too late and were put to flight and their supplies captured.

Because of these events MuŒammad ath-Thâbitî's character seems to have changed to one of despondency, manifested in sudden excesses of cruelty or plunging into the distractions of magic or the company of his friends. He was finally killed by his brothers.⁽⁵⁸⁾

22. Abû-`Abdallâh MuŒammad b. M. ath-Thâbitî (1504-1516)

During the reign of this sovereign pirate activity continued in the Mediterranean from his only remaining port, Wahrân, until 18 May 1509, when the Spanish captured it.⁽⁵⁹⁾ Abû-`Abdallâh went out with an army to rescue Wahrân, but was afraid to fight and turned back. The Tilimsân people vented their frustration by massacring the Europeans settled in their midst. The loss of Wahrân also meant the end of the commerce which was the source of the prosperity of Tilimsân. From then on heavy taxes and austerities made `Abdallâh's rule unpopular. As a last resort, he went personally to Spain in 1512 to negotiate with his enemies. He was received in Burgos by Ferdinand, and agreed to be his vassal and pay an annual tribute.

On the occasion of Abû-`Abdallâh's death in 923/ 1517 the people of Tilimsân raided the homes of the Jews living there, reducing them to a long and lasting misery.⁽⁶⁰⁾

In the meantime Spanish occupation of the Maghrib ports, including the island of Peñon in the bay of Algiers, had led the Algerians to appeal to the Turks for help. The pirate `Arûj came to Algiers in 1515, took over the city and expanded his power over much of the surrounding territory.

23. Abû-¥ammû III, b. al-Mutawakkil (1516-1528)

This uncle of the preceding ruler came to power after deposing the latter's brother Abû-Zayyân. He moved to consolidate his power by renewing the vassalship relationship of his predecessor with Charles V of Spain. Abû-¥ammû's nephew, who had plotted against him but failed and fled, was set up in Tanas with the help of the Spanish, since Abû-¥ammû failed to help the Spanish in their abortive attempt to take Algiers. From Algiers, `Arûj's brother Khayraddîn drove him out, but he returned. Then `Arûj himself marched against Tanas and took it, and from there turned upon Tilimsân. The shaykhs and the people welcomed `Arûj as a deliverer from the unpopular Abû-¥ammû but, on taking Tilimsân, the Turks cruelly killed anyone they could lay hands on who was associated with Abû-¥ammû and forbade any of the indigenous people to trade with the Spanish in their port cities, hoping thereby to starve out the Spanish and also complete the conquest of the kingdom of Tilimsân.

Abû-¥ammû, who had fled to Fez before Tilimsân fell, negotiated with the Spanish in Wahrân and in Spain, promising to return to obedience to the Spanish king if he helped him recover Tilimsân. Agreement was reached, and an army of Europeans and Muslims relieved the land blockade of Wahrân, moved on to take Tilimsân and totally defeated and killed `Arûj in July 1518. Abû-¥ammû returned to power under the aegis of the Spanish crown, to which he seems to have remained loyal until his death in 1528.

24. Abû-MuŒammad `Abdallâh b. al-Mutawakkil (1528-1540)

This brother of the former ruler changed alliances from the Spanish to the Turks in Algiers, who had gained the recognition and support of the Ottoman sultan. This action drew no reprisals, because the Spanish were occupied elsewhere at the time.

25. Abû-Zayyân AŒmad b. abî-MuŒammad `Abdallâh (1540-1550)

This younger son of the preceding ruler succeeded in preventing his elder brother Abû-`Abdallâh from inheriting the throne. The latter fled to Wahrân and won the help of the Spanish. In a first attempt to defeat his brother the Spanish army which supported him was totally defeated. In 1543 Charles V sent fresh troops, and this time they succeeded.

Abû-Zayyân fled from Tilimsân, and the Spanish army occupied it, pillaging and killing the people, while installing Abû-`Abdallâh on the throne. Abû-Zayyân fled to the west, gathered an army and came back to besiege Tilimsân. Abû-`Abdallâh went out and put him to flight once more, but upon returning found the city gates locked against him. Abandoned by his followers, he fled to the wilds where he was killed, while Abû-Zayyân was recalled to the throne at the end of 1543 or the beginning of 1544.

Abû-Zayyân allied himself with the Turks of Algiers, who had been successful in repelling Charles V's attempt to take Algiers in 1541. His reign lasted from 947-957/ 1540-1550.

26. ¥asan b. abî-MuŒammad `Abdallâh (1550-1554)

During the reign of this brother of the preceding ruler three forces were threatening the small kingdom of Tilimsân: the Turks in Algiers, the Spanish in Wahrân, and the new Moroccan dynasty of Sharîfs. The latter overran Tilimsân, but were driven out by the Turks, who set up a garrison in Tilimsân under the guise of protecting it against further attacks from Morocco.

The Turkish rule became odious, and ¥asan appealed to the Spanish in Wahrân for help. His appeal was discovered by the Turks, who assembled all the shaykhs, who officially deposed him. In 1555 ÀâliŒ Ra'îs Pasha took possession of Tilimsân in the name of the Ottoman emperor Salîm II. ¥asan died shortly afterwards in Wahrân. His son became a Christian and went to live in Spain. Thus the dynasty of Banû-`Abdalwâd came to an end.

Some teachers and ªûfîs of the `Abdalwâd period of Tilimsân⁽⁶¹⁾

MuŒammad ibn-Yûsuf as-Sanûsî (d. 10 May 1490), mentioned above, was the most famous Tilimsân theologian.

Al-Qalaªâdî, author of many books and a master of as-Sanûsî, taught in Tilimsân from 1427 to 1447.

Abarkân, mentioned above, was a famous ªûfî and master of as-Sanûsî and died in November 1453. His advice and blessing was sought by Abû-`Abdallâh and Abû-Fâris, but he refused gifts from these rulers and kept his independence.

At-Tanasî, a historian of this period, died in Meb.-March 1494.

Al-Wansharîsî, an important historian, lived in Tilimsân until 11 July 1469, when he fell out with the ruler ath-Thâbitî and had to flee to Fez; there he died in 1508 at the age of around 80.

Ibn-Marzûq (al-kafîf), was the father of a family of learned men famous through North and West Africa; he died in 1495/6.

NOTES

1. Note particularly two pertinent books of J.J.L. Bargès, Histoire des Beni-Zeiyan, rois de Tlemcen (Paris, 1852) and Complément de l'histoire des Beni-Zeiyan (Paris, 1887); these works are very uncritical from the point of view of transliteration, consistency of facts and dates, and citation of sources. Yet they supply some information from now untraceable manuscripts, particularly an appendix to YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn, which cannot be otherwise found.
2. See especially Georges Marçais, "La Berbèrie du VIIe au XVIe siècle," conférence faite à la séance d'ouverture du Deuxième Congrès nationale des Sciences Historiques, Alger, 14 avril 1930, in Mélanges d'histoire et d'archéologie de l'occident musulmane, v. 1, Articles et conférences de Georges Marçais (Algiers, 1957), pp. 17-22; "Abd-al-Wâdids," EI² , Tlemcen (Paris, 1950).
3. J. Kenny, Muslim theology as presented by M. ibn-Yûsuf as-Sanûsî, especially in his al-`Aqîda al-wus³â (University of Edinburgh, 1970).
4. See Histoire des Berbères, III, p. 334 and note 3.
5. Cf. Bargès, Histoire, lix-lx, who follows Abû-`Abdallâh al-Abbelli (see Histoire des Berbères, III, p. 36), the teacher of the two Ibn-Khaldûns,for the first two forms, and a ms by Yy. b. Khaldûn, Bughya ar-ruwwâd, fol. 20r, and "Meracid el Ittilâ, ms. of the Bibliothèque Nationale, suppl. arabe, n. 891, p. 134" for the third.
6. Cf. O. MacCarthy, on p. 33, note 1, of Ibn-Khaldûn, Histoire des Berbères, t. 3.
7. Cf. Bargès, Complément, p. 5, note.
8. Cf. Bargès, Complément, p. 5.
9. Cf. Bargès, Histoire, ch. 20.
10. Histoire des Berbères, 3, p. 328.
11. BN 48b.
12. He was "ibn-`amm ¹ayyân wâlid Yaghmurâsan ibn-Zayyân," ibid.
13. Ff. 48b.
14. "Laysa la-hâ illâ mâ Œubbu-hâ", At-Tanasî, f. 49a.
15. Ibn-Khaldûn, Histoire, 3, p. 350.
16. Ibn-Khaldûn, Histoire, 3, p. 353-4; cf. Bargès, Complément, 18-19, after YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn.
17. At-Tanasî, f. 51a; the text has "Abû-Sa`îd", but the margin corrects this name to Abû-âmir.
18. The following chronology of Abû-Sa`îd's activities is from YaŒyâ b. Khaldûn in Bargès, Complément, 28-37.
19. Or "al-Mahdiyya", according to at-Tanasî, f. 51a.
20. In his Ar-riŒla al-maghribiyya; cf. Bargès, Complément, 29; tr. Cherbonneau in Revue Africaine, n. 28 (1880), p. 288.
21. YaŒyâ b. Khaldûn; cf. Bargès, Complément, 39.
22. At-Tanasî, f. 52a, follows the author of Durar al-ghurar in placing Abû-Zayyân's death before the end of the siege, but notes that YaŒyâ ibn-Khaldûn, in Bughya ar-ruwwâd places his death after the siege; so do Ibn-Khaldûn, Histoire, 3, 382, and the author of Qir³âs; cf. Bargès, Complément, 39.
23. At-Tanasî, f. 57b.
24. Y. b. Khaldûn; Bargès, Compl., 50.
25. At-Tanasî, f. 52a and Y. b. Khaldûn, according to Bargès, Compl., 52; "al-Ghuzz" indicates a Western Turkestan origin. Ibn-Khaldûn has "al-Kurdî" (p. 394).
26. Y. b. Khaldûn gives the 21st; Bargès, Compl., 55.
27. Ibid., 69.
28. Ibid., 69-70.
29. At-Tanasî, f. 53a.
30. Y. b. Khaldûn; Bargès, Compl., 129.
31. Cf. Bargès, Compl., 134-8, for Y. b. Khaldûn's detailed account of the defeat and capture of Abû-Thâbit.
32. Bargès, Compl., 157.
33. Y. b. Khaldûn; Bargès, Compl., 159-60.
34. These details of Abû-¥ammû's imprisonment to his death are found in Bargès, Compl., taken from the marginal notes added by the copyist of Bargès ms. of Y. b. Khaldûn.
35. Cf. Ibn-Maryam, al-Bustân fî dhikr al-awliyâ' wa-l-`ulamâ' bi-Tilimsân (Algiers, 1908), p. 76 (on Abarkân).
36. MuŒammad az-Zarkashî, Ta'rîkh ba ² ad-dawla al-muwaŒŒidiyya wa-nubûgh ad-dawla al-¥afªiyya wa-dhikr man malak min-hum (Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, ms. 1874), f. 81a-b.
37. Az-Zarkashî, ff. 81b-82a.
38. On the last point see Bargès, Compl., p. 228, who follows an appendix to "his" manuscript of Yy. b. Khaldûn.
39. Az-Zarkashî, f. 83b.
40. Cf. Bargès, Compl., pp. 295-6, who follows the same appendix.
41. Cf. Kenny, op. cit., I, C, b.
42. Cf. at-Tanasî, ff. 72a-73a. At-Tanasî says it was on a Friday, but this date is a Thursday.
43. Ff. 72a ff.; cf. Ibn-Maryam, 74, 87-8.
44. For varying accounts of his death, see az-Zarkashî, f. 84b, and Ibn-Maryam, pp. 231-232.
45. Cf. `Abdalbâsi³ b. Khalâl, ar-Raw² al-bâsim fî Œawâdith al-`umr wa-t-tarâjim, ed. & tr. by Robert Brunschvig, Deux récits de voyage inédits en Afrique du Nord au XVe siècle, `Abdalbâsi³et Adorne (Paris, 1936), p. 69 ff. See also Brunschvig, La Berbèrie orientale sous les ¥afªides des origines à la fin du XVe siècle, v. 1, pp. 260-262.
46. Cf. at-Tanasî, ff. 73a-77b. With these incidents the account of At-Tanasî ends.
47. See J. Kenny, op. cit., D, b, n. 8.
48. See Kenny, ibid., D, b, n. 8.
49. It is not indicated whether this is M. b. A. al-`Uqbânî or his successor I. b. Q. al-`Uqbânî; see below, D, b, nos. 8 and 9.
50. Az-Zarkashî, ff. 102b-105a.
51. Spoken of by Bargès, Compl., pp. 419-420, note; he gives no source for his information.
52. According to Bargès, Compl., p. 398, again following a note on "his" manuscript of Yy. b. Khaldûn; see p. 412 to correct a mistaken figure on p. 398. Georges Marçais, in "`Abd-al-Wâdids," EI² , also gives 873/ 1468, apparently following Bargès.
53. Cf. Bargès, Coml., p. 401, who gives no source references. He is followed by G. Marçais in "`Abdal-Wâdids," EI² .
54. Cf. G. Marçais, ibid.
55. See below, D, b, n. 6.
56. Al-`âqîda aª-ªughrâ, with ¥âshiya of M. b. A. b. `Arafa ad-Dasûqî (Cairo: ¥alabî, 1358/ 1939), introduction, pp. 14-15.
57. The date is from his funeral monument, used as a lintel of a door; cf. M.C. Brosselard, "Mémoire épigraphique et historique sur les tombeaux des âmirs Bani-Zaiyan et de Boabdil, dernier roi de Granade, découverts à Tlemcen," J.A., 7ième série, v. 7 (1876), 178.
58. Ibn-Maryam, p. 266; Brosselard cites "la tradition" for the date of ath-Thâbitî's death.
59. A. de C. Motylinski, "Expédition de Pedro de Navarre et de Garcia de Toledo contre Djerba (1510) d'après les sources abadhites," Actes du XIVe Contrès International des Orientalistes, Alger 1905 (Paris: Leroux, 1908), part 3, pp. 133-167; Arabic text, p. 134. The capture of Wahrân is also described by Leo Africanus.
60. Leo Africanus.
61. For more information on these and other men of this period, see J. Kenny, op. cit., I, D.

THE `ABDALWÂD KINGDOM OF TILIMSÂN

NOTES

THE `ABDALWÂD KINGDOM
OF TILIMSÂN